The 8 best festival line-ups of summer 2026 for anyone with a Glastonbury-shaped hole in their calendars
Headliners worthy of the farm
It’s a fallow year for the Glastonbury Festival, which has left hundreds of thousands of communally minded music lovers staring around forlornly for a new musical gathering to fill the void.
For the first time in eight years, the world’s most prestigious music festival is taking a planned break to give everyone involved in hosting the gargantuan event (and indeed the farmland it takes place on) a chance to recover.
There’s no denying the hole it leaves in Britain’s summer calendar. Contrary to what some Glasto-bores will tell you, however, alternatives do exist.
True, nothing quite hits the same spot as Glasto. Given its unique combination of history (the first festival took place in 1970), scale (capacity: 210,000) and non-corporate outlook (look ma, no ads!), how could it?
But there are plenty of other festivals going on around the UK and indeed the world that can prevent the committed Glasto-head from having to go cold turkey.
Here are just a few of them. Note that you’re leaving it a little late to plan your summer festival kicks, so getting tickets to some of these festivals will require jumping through some hoops.
Where needed, we’ve provided links to official resellers to hopefully help ease your path where possible, but obviously other avenues do exist. Happy hunting.
Boomtown Fair
Where: Hampshire
When: August 12th-16th
As any attendee will tell you, Glastonbury isn’t an ordinary music festival. The music isn’t even the main point for many people, with a whole village-worth of weird and wild diversions to get lost in. Hampshire’s Boomtown Fair captures some of that warped carnival spirit, offering distinctly themed districts filled with theatrical flourishes and assorted musical genres. Kneecap, Madness, Scissor Sisters, Vengaboys, Floating Points, and Skrillex are all on the roster this year. Unfortunately, Boomtown Fair’s regular tickets have sold out, but there’s a citizen-to-citizen resale programme to help you on your journey. It’s likely to be a wild one.
Mad Cool Festival
Where: Madrid, Spain
When: July 8th-11th
Why not branch out and add a little Iberian flavour to your summer festival experience? Now celebrating its tenth year, Mad Cool takes place at the Iberdrola Music venue in Villaverde, on the southern tip of the Spanish capital. You’ll need to hurry up and make those travel plans, with less than a week to go, but it should prove well worth that late flush of spontaneity. This year’s line-up features some formidable headliners, including Foo Fighters, Florence + The Machine, Lorde (who’s seemingly everywhere), Pixies, The War on Drugs, Pulp, Kings of Leon, and David Byrne. We've called this one this year's best festival line-up.
Green Man
Where: Brecon Beacons
When: August 20th-23rd
Set on the historic Glanusk Estate in the stunning Brecon Beacons from August 20th to 23rd, Green Man festival certainly has Glastonbury beat for sheer scenic wonder. It’s also a match for the great festival’s independent spirit, refusing corporate backing and embracing sustainability. The line-up, while not quite as eclectic, is pretty Glasto-worthy too. Four Tet, Wolf Alice, Wilco, Mogwai, The Beta Band, Celeste, Cate Le Bon, Tricky, Fcukers, and Sparks are all playing, among others. Perhaps unsurprisingly, initial tickets are all sold out on this one, but you can sign up with official reseller Tixel right here.
Fuji Rocks
Where: Niigata Prefecture, Japan
When: July 24th-26th
Want to shake off those no-Glasto blues and make this fallow year one to remember? Book a flight to Tokyo and arrange travel onwards to Naeba Ski Resort, and experience one of the greatest rock festivals in the world. Fuji Rocks offers the full package and then some, including a stunning natural location (access requires a cable car), top notch facilities (including natural hot springs), and outstanding food (it’s Japan) – all set off by an unusually laid back vibe and a world class musical line-up. This year that includes The XX, Khruangbin, Massive Attack, Mitski, Toro Y Moi, and Basement Jaxx.
Wilderness
Where: Oxfordshire
When: July 30th to August 2nd
While Glastonbury has retained some of its alternative vibe, it’s definitely become a lot more comfortable and – for want of a better term – ‘middle class’ over the past decade or two. That’s cool. Everyone is welcome, and we all appreciate the uptick in catering quality, at least. But if you really want to double down on the aspirational lifestyle side of Glasto this fallow year, consider Wilderness. It’s set on the edge of the Cotswolds, and offers such elevated delights as gourmet feasting tables, spa treatments, and wild swimming. There’s also music from Scissor Sisters, The Last Dinner Party, and Saint Etienne, to name but three.
Way Out West
Where: Gothenburg
When: August 13th-15th
Sweden’s uber-cool second city plays host to one of the hippest festivals on the circuit. Participating artists include Gorillaz, The Cure, Geese, Jalen Ngonda, Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, DJ Koze, Lykke Li, Blood Orange, Ezra Collective, and of course Lorde. Like we said, cool AF. It’s not exclusively about the music, either, with a strong film element also present. The festival will be screening a number of Swedish and international films, including four world premieres. Do note that they’re down to selling one-day tickets at the time of writing, barring any resales, so don’t hang around.
All Points East
Where: East London
When: August 21st-23rd, 28th-30th
For a certain type of lily-livered metropolitan music fan (timidly raises his baby-soft hand), the whole camping part of the Glastonbury experience is enough to stay well away – fallow year or otherwise. This one’s for all my fellow softies: All Points East takes place slap bang in the middle of London, in leafy–but–also–reassuringly–urban Victoria Park. So, when you’ve finished watching Jorja Smith, Lorde (good luck with those tickets), Tyler the Creator, or Deftones, you can scoot off to a nearby hotel/friend’s place and get a proper night’s sleep. Bliss.
Lollapalooza
Where: Chicago
When: July 30th to August 2nd
Coachella and Bonnaroo have been and gone, which leaves just one member of the holy trinity of US music festival remaining. Even then, tickets for this year’s Lollapalooza are getting scarcer by the day, so sign up fast if you’re interested. This year’s vast four day event in Grant Park, Chicago, has a killer line-up. Lorde, Charlie xcx, The Smashing Pumpkins, Olivia Dean, and The XX are all headlining, supported by a frankly ridiculous number of support acts covering pretty much all popular genres. This one offers serious range – not to mention close proximity to one of the country’s great party cities.
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